LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 08.12.08. Greek and British protesters blockade the Greek Embassy in London, England on Monday 8th December 2008. The protesters took down the Greek flag from a pole in front of the embassy and set fire to it and raised a red and black anarchist flag in its place. The protest was part of a European wide day of action after two Greek police officers were arrested for killing a 15-year-old boy, Andreas Grigoropoulos, which has set off a wave of violent protests across Greece. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

“Are the Greek riots a taste of things to come?” – The Independent.

Images: “Greek Embassy Protest- 08.12.08.”

I took the image above and the two images below before the police removed the media from outside the Greek embassy in Holland Park west London on Monday (08.12.08).  The last two images at the bottom of this post were taken behind the police lines after we were removed.   One wonders which images the police and for that matter the  Greek embassy prefer?  I can tell you the two international media groups that paid me for my labour that day went for the images I took before we were removed.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 08.12.08. Greek and British protesters blockade the Greek Embassy in London, England on Monday 8th December 2008. The protesters took down the Greek flag from a pole in front of the embassy and set fire to it and raised a red and black anarchist flag in its place. The protest was part of a European wide day of action after two Greek police officers were arrested for killing a 15-year-old boy, Andreas Grigoropoulos, which has set off a wave of violent protests across Greece. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 08.12.08. Greek and British protesters blockade the Greek Embassy in London, England on Monday 8th December 2008. The protesters took down the Greek flag from a pole in front of the embassy and set fire to it and raised a red and black anarchist flag in its place. The protest was part of a European wide day of action after two Greek police officers were arrested for killing a 15-year-old boy, Andreas Grigoropoulos, which has set off a wave of violent protests across Greece. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

And after police removed the media from outside and away from the Greek embassy:

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 08.12.08. Metropolitan Police Inspector David Morgan speaks to waiting media as Greek and British protesters blockade the Greek Embassy in London, England on Monday 8th December 2008. The protesters took down the Greek flag from a pole in front of the embassy and set fire to it and raised a red and black anarchist flag in its place. The protest was part of a European wide day of action after two Greek police officers were arrested for killing a 15-year-old boy, Andreas Grigoropoulos, which has set off a wave of violent protests across Greece. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 08.12.08. A young male protester speaks to a broadcast crew as Greek and British protesters blockade the Greek Embassy in London, England on Monday 8th December 2008. The protesters took down the Greek flag from a pole in front of the embassy and set fire to it and raised a red and black anarchist flag in its place. The protest was part of a European wide day of action after two Greek police officers were arrested for killing a 15-year-old boy, Andreas Grigoropoulos, which has set off a wave of violent protests across Greece. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

“Police to investigate Greek embassy incident” - National Union of Journalists.

“Met Police will investigate officer who grabbed photographic equipment at Greek Embassy Protests” - journalism.co.uk

“Met Police investigating incident with photographer” - British Journal of Photography.

As you can see  from the links above and the statement below the police have said they are going to investigate the Greek embassy “incident”.

Metropolitan Police statement:

“The officer featured in this clip will be investigated regarding his conduct with a member of the media. There are clear service guidelines that all officers are expected to adhere to that protects the rights of media.”

“The Metropolitan Police Service seeks to protect the interests and rights of media to do their job, through educating all our staff within the Service. Before every operation all our staff are briefed as to the role of the media and wherever operationally possible to facilitate them. This was a spontaneous demonstration that at points included outbreaks of disorder, which required an emergency response from police.”

Source: Press Gazette.

“Video: Police obstruct journalists at Greek embassy” – pressgazette.co.uk

“New video evidence: photographers obstructed in reportage of Greek Embassy protests” – journalism.co.uk

“Heavy-handed policing against photographers caught on video” – 1854.eu

“Heavy-handed policing against photographers caught on video” - British Journal of Photography.

“Police Obstruction of Journalists at London Greek Embassy Protest” – Current TV.

Yesterday the National Union of Journalists (NUJ)  criticised the Metropolitan Police for their handling of the media – Jason N.Parkinson and I – at a protest outside the Greek embassy in London earlier this week.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 08.12.08. A police officer attempts to stop the media reporting on a blockade of the Greek Embassy by Greek and British anarchists in London, England on Monday 8th December 2008. The protesters took down the Greek flag from a pole in front of the embassy and set fire to it and raised a red and black anarchist flag in its place. The protest was part of a European wide day of action after two Greek police officers were arrested for killing a 15-year-old boy, Andreas Grigoropoulos, which has set off a wave of violent protests across Greece. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 08.12.08. Two police officers attempt to stop Photojournalist Marc Vallée reporting on a blockade of the Greek Embassy by Greek and British anarchists in London, England on Monday 8th December 2008. Published here by kind permission of Philip Caller.  (c) Philip Caller, 2008.

“NUJ speaks out against Met Police ‘heavy-handedness’ at Greek Embassy Protests” - blogs.journalism.co.uk

“Journalists obstructed at embassy protests” – National Union of Journalists.

“Police attempt to confiscate photography equipment at the Greek Embassy protests” – blogs.journalism.co.uk

“Members of the media have a duty to take photographs and film incidents and we have no legal power or moral responsibility to prevent or restrict what they record.” -  Guidelines for Metropolitan Police Service staff on dealing with media reporters, press photographers and television crews, 2006.

“First of all, may I take this opportunity to state that the Government greatly values the importance of the freedom of the press, and as such there is no legal restriction on photography in public place” – Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary in a letter to Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, June 2008.

Post updated on: 11.12.08.

KINGSNORTH, KENT, UNITED KINGDOM – 09.8.08. Two mounted police officers raise their batons amongst protesters as police move in to arrest a man as environmental activists march on Kingsnorth Power Station Hoo, Kent, England on Saturday 9th August 2008. 2,000 campaigners marched on the Power Station with the aim to shut it down for the day. (Photo Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

Clients : Click on the link below to view more images from the set.  All Images are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

Images: Camp for Climate Action – Mass Action Day – 09.08.08

Archive Link : www.archive.marcvallee.co.uk